Hey guys, sorry I'm a little late to this one. I can see that I might be too late for this build but, for future reference, here is my two cents. This is in no way a new design or way out in left field. There are only 2 things that make it seem that way. First is the thought of it being a RF cooker. It is actually more like a box type upright with the fire in the bottom and it will cook just like one. Which brings up the second difference. It is not a box. The key to this build is to look at it a little different. The only thing you really need to concern yourself with is hot spots, as has been mentioned before. The simple fix for this is to turn the drip pan into a water pan. The is what makes most upright cook even, as well as RF cookers. Water evaporates at 212* F. It will absorb heat until the entire amount reaches 212*F. IT will then begin to evaporate and how long that takes has nothing to do with the fire bu how much water is in the pan. Water is a great insulator in this fashion. I know some people are opposed to it because they think it steams the meat but it doesn't. There is not enough moisture in the air to make steam as long as the meat is 4 inches or more above water. The bonus of using a water pan is it helps to fight the dreaded stall. The stall happens when the meat hits a certain temperature, usually around 150*, and the moisture inside it begins to work its way out and evaporate, cooling the outside of it just enough to prevent any more heat to penetrate. This happens until all of the sweating has occurred. The humidity in the "water cookers" helps fight this the same way it causes people to overheat in Florida. The humidity prevents the meat from sweating, thereby allowing more heat to penetrate resulting in a shorter stall effect. So the key to making this type of build a success, I believe, is the addition of a water pan. The rest should work like a RF build. It looks great so far. Keep it up and let us know how we it turns out and if we can help further.